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Thursday, December 10, 2015

Daily thought: You need to be a jerk to succeed?

NOT EXACTLY THE SMARTEST: Wondering why loud obnoxious people are so successful?

It is now confirmed: Being a jerk (meaning loud, obnoxious, self-centred and pushy) actually increases your chances of succeeding at work, according to researchers. This may just answer the age-old question of why people who are usually bosses/leaders are also jerks. It's not because they tend to be more creative or smarter, it's just that they're better at getting their ideas heard, no matter how sucky it might be.

The study focused on a single trait called agreeability, which determines how likely we are to go along with another's opinion, even though we may disagree. The study found that the more likely you are to disagree with others and the more argumentative you are, the higher the chances of you making it big career-wise.

Looking at my past experiences in attending meetings, it is a very accurate observation. I've sat through meetings where one person dominated the discussion, putting forth numerous ideas while everyone just sat there and appeared to accept the ideas. Any attempt to disagree, if any, was quickly dismissed. Over time, people just learned to accept the dominant voice.

It's not that no one disagreed. After the meeting, people who complain about the decision. It's just that none of us are brave enough, or using the terminology of study, disagreeable enough to voice what we truly felt towards the original suggestion.

At the end of the day, no matter how brilliant an idea is in your head, it wouldn't make any difference anyway if you don't say it out. And loudly at that. Because any idea that stays in your head is no different than being dead. No one knows of its existence except you and you owe it only to yourself to voice it out. Or forever hold your peace, as they say.

Of course, all this is bad news for people for people who does not like to talk or not as argumentative as "jerks", but the world is just unfair like this, I suppose.